Latest Posts by spellbound-savvie - Page 11

In Irish mythology, Brigid is the daughter of the Dagda and had two sisters also named Brigid and is part of the Tuatha de Danann, the supernatural Irish race. The three sisters made up the triple aspect of the one goddess: Brigid of the hearth, Brigid of the forge and Brigid of Inspiration. She is a goddess of spring, fertility, family, the hearth, childbirth, fire, blacksmiths, scholars, physicians, prophets, healing, poetry, occult knowledge, and justice. She was said to be born at sunrise and is often depicted with solar rays coming out of her head, making her one of the Irish solar deities alongside Lugh. It is said that wherever she walks four leaf clovers and flowers will grow. She also created the tradition of “keening” when her son Ruadan died in battle, a song-like wail used by women at funerals. In some cases she is also the goddess of sacred wells, springs and healing waters.  

History

Her name comes in different spellings like Brig, Brighid, Brigit, or Brigid but it means “Exalted one” or “Fiery arrows”. She is a goddess of Pre-christian Ireland but versions of her are found all over Europe; she has ties to Brigantia, a warrior goddess of the Brigantes tribe of Britain. She was a beloved goddess of the Celts and has survived through centuries including the Christianization of Ireland and the rest of Europe where most traces of Druidism and Paganism were forgotten. The people of Ireland loved her so much and refused to let her be demonized by the church -like the rest of the gods- that they converted her into a saint known as St. Brigid of Kildare. There are also three rivers named after her one in Ireland, Wales and England: Brigit, Braint and Brent.The river that runs through Wales is known to have healing properties.

Imbolc

Also known as Brigid’s day, Candlemas or St. Brigid’s feast, Imbolc is one of the four fire festivals in Celtic paganism and celebrates the return of spring. Since Brigid is the goddess of spring and was said to go away during the winter, people would light a candle in honor of her return. Offerings of milk, bread, and corn cakes were set out and a seat at the dinner table was left open for her presence.  Cows and sheep were seen as sacred to the goddess because they would provide milk for the town during the cold months and they would give birth around Imbolc. This festival celebrated the Maiden aspect of Brigid and young women would carry corn dollies dressed in white which represented the goddess. The women would also dress in white and attend a special feast for Imbolc where young suitors could mingle with the ladies. Imbolc is a time of fertility, cleansing and the light returning after a long winter.

Correspondences

Elements- Water & Fire

Animals- snakes, ewes, cows, bees, oxen, owls and hibernating animals. Vultures

Plants- blackberry, hawthorn, basil, mugwort, apple, heather, dandelion, snowdrop, willow, oak, shamrock, crocus, trillium, corn, lavender and sage. Personal one is cinnamon and chamomile.

Crystals- amethyst, bloodstone, carnelian, garnet, moonstone, clear quartz, and peridot.

Symbols- Brigid’s cross, candles, triquetra, faeries, four leaf clover, cauldron, chalice, corn dolly, anvil or hammer, poetry, forges, hearths, wells, rock formations.

Colours- green, red, white, gold and blue

Devotional Acts

offer her blackberries, baked goods, milk and honey or beer

dedicate a piece of your art to her like painting, knitting, singing, etc.

meditate with fire

savour the warmth of the sun or fire

incorporate the elements of water and fire into your craft

write her a poem

watch the sun rise

say hi to cows and sheep :)

hang a Brigid’s cross above your doorway for protection and blessings 

study healing magick, reiki, herbalism and faeries

wear the colours of fire or white

plant a bee garden

Deity Guide; Lugh

Sources:

Encyclopedia of Spirits; The Ultimate Guide to the magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses // Judika Illes

@skyewillow, Tumblr

☀️ Irish God of the Sun, Storms, the Harvest, Oaths, Kings and Justice

☀️ Patron of Kings, Artisans, Poets, Blacksmiths, Carpenters, Craftsmen, Poets, Physicians, Soldiers and Warriors

☀️ Also known as: Lug, Luc

☀️ Titles Include…

Lugh of the Long Arm

Shining One

Lamhfada

Lugh of Artful Hands

The Skilled God

Master of All Arts

Lugh, Lord of Craftsmanship, Light, Victory and War, is a master builder, harper, poet, warrior, sorcerer, metalworker, cupbearer and physician. It’s hard to envision anything that Lugh isn’t good at.

Lugh was venerated throughout the ancient Celtic world. At least fourteen European Cities are named for Lugh, including Laon, Leyden, Loudon and Lyon. Lyon’s old name was Lugdunum, meaning “Lugh’s Fort”. That city is believed to have been his cult center. Its coins bore the images of ravens, which may be a reference to Lugh. The Romans identified Lugh with Mercury. Many European churches dedicated to Michael the Archangel are believed to have been built over sites once dedicated to Lugh. Post-Christianity, many of Lugh’s sacred functions were reassigned to saints like Patrick and Luke.

Lugh apparently traveled westward through Europe. Irish and Welsh myths describe his first appearance in their pantheon. He is greeted with resistance from women in Wales. His first public act in Ireland is to join battle with the Tuatha Dé Danann (his father’s people) against the Fomorian, his mother’s people. Lugh chooses allegiance with his paternal line; the myth may be interpreted as indicating the beginnings of patriarchy in Ireland.

☀️ Manifestation: He is often described as shining, handsome, charming and witty. He has a silver tongue to match his skillful hands.

☀️ Consorts: Lugh has different consorts in different locations, but he was frequently linked to Rosmerta

☀️ Spirit Allies: Lugh shared the city of Lyon with Kybele, and Paris with Isis. In battle, Lugh used his own weapons, but also those belonging to Manannan.

☀️ Animals: Lion, Horse, Raven, Stag, Crow, Hound, Lynx

☀️ Trees: Apple, Oak, Hazelnut, Holly

☀️ Flowers: Marigold, Goldenrod, Sunflower, Carnation, Rose, Gorse

☀️ Herbs: Bay, Basil, Allspice, Rosemary, Cinnamon

☀️ Foods: Corn, Bread, Apple, Potato, Berries

☀️ Beverages: Wine, Mead, Apple Cider

☀️ Colors: Brown, Gold, Yellow, Green

☀️ Crystals: Citrine, Carnelian, Sunstone, Topaz, Quartz

☀️ Element: Air, Fire

☀️ Day: Sunday

☀️ Sabbat: Lughnasadh

☀️ Festival: August 1st, the festival of Lughnasa. Lughnasa means “the marriage of Lugh”. Lugh the sun and the Earth Mother renew their vows annually during the full moon in August and invite all to gather and revel with them. Lughnasa celebrates the consummation of their sacred relationship.

Once upon a time, Lughnasa was a four week festival; the last two weeks of July and the first two weeks of August, roughly corresponding to when the sun is in Leo, the astrological sign that belongs to the sun and epitomizes its power. In modern Irish Gaeilge, the month of August is Lunasa. However, the modern wiccan sabbat of Lughnasa is almost devoted solely to the eve of July 31st leading to Lughnasa Day on August 1st.

☀️ Symbols: Spear, Harp, Sun, Slingshot

☀️ Tarot Cards: The Sun, Justice

☀️ Moon Phases: Full, Waxing

☀️ Scents: Apple, Cinnamon, Rose

☀️ Planets: Sun

☀️ Offerings:

Grain Products

Whole Grain Wheat Bread

Freshly Baked Bread

Beer & Mead

Harvested Fruits and Vegetables

Corn Dolls

Allspice

Cloves

Cinnamon

Carnelian

Citrine

Gorse Flowers

Learn a new skill, especially if it’s related to Healing, Fighting or The Arts

Wine

Apple Cider

Hard Cider

☀️ Devotional Acts:

Make Art, in any form, that is devoted to him

Make Art of him, however you personally picture him

Teach yourself Self Defense

Teach yourself First Aid and Healing Magic

Acknowledge your duties and try to act more Regal, even in day to day life

Protect those who need it, and help those you know you can help

Take care of your body, both physically and mentally

Work to better yourself in any area

Wake up at sunrise

Treat your loved ones to a lovely meal

Always keep your promises

Support political and law-based justice, and sign petitions or give donations to make sure justice is appropriately given

Dress in Brown or Golden Colors

Try to become more a witty and confident person

Honor him on Sundays

Plant more Trees, take care of the Environment and do more Social Justice work

Buy a Kilt and wear it unapologetically

Go to a Renaissance Fair

Buy medieval-style weapons, particularly Spears or Slingshots

Practice Confidence and Self-Love!!!

Simple Ways to Connect to The Morrigan ⚔️

~ Wear silver jewelry

~ Say hello to or smile at the crows

~ Wade barefoot in a stream

~ Surround yourself with crow or sword symbolism

~ Carry bloodstone, garnet, or obsidian with you

~ Exercise and keep your body healthy

~ Wear red, black, green, or blue

~ Read Her myths

~ Drink peppermint tea

~ Honor Her at Samhain

~ Write poetry for Her

~ Learn about war and war strategy

~ Know your power

~ Face your fears

Ode to Airmead

To each day there was a healing plant To cure the woes of a sick planet One for each day So that everyday There was still a chance to heal and forgive To stop your tears, to grow from grief, You have done enough You have been strong enough Kind and wise enough Today there is healing.

Airmed (or Airmid) - Celtic goddess of healing herbs

requested by anon

Pagan Deities

This part is separated into “deity categories” where I will only be listing the deities in each category because they may overlap and I unfortunately don’t have the time to go through every single deity, if any interest you by name feel free to look them up, but the categories should be helpful if you want to find a deity in a specific category,  there are 15 deity categories from the website I used and I want to make sure my sources are good, so any feedback with corrections or additions you think I should add to it are greatly appreciated, especially since not every culture is represented in every category :)

Deities of Love and Marriage 

Aphrodite (Greek) 

Cupid (Roman) 

Eros (Greek) 

Frigga (Norse) 

Hathor (Egyptian) 

Hera (Greek) 

Juno (Roman) 

Parvati (Hindu) 

Venus (Roman) 

Vesta (Roman) 

Deities of Healing 

Asclepius (Greek) 

Airmed (Celtic) 

Aja (Yoruba) 

Apollo (Greek)

Artemis (Greek) 

Babalu Aye (Yoruba) 

Bona Dea (Roman)

Brighid (Celtic) 

Eir (Norse) 

Febris (Roman) 

Heka (Egyptian) 

Hygieia (Greek) 

Isis (Egyptian) 

Maponus (Celtic) 

Panacaea (Greek) 

Sirona (Celtic)

Vejovis (Roman) 

Lunar Deities

Alignak (Inuit) 

Artemis (Greek) 

Cerridwen (Celtic) 

Chang’e (Chinese) 

Coyolxauhqui (Aztec) 

Diana (Roman) 

Hecate (Greek) 

Selene (Greek) 

Sina (Polynesia) 

Thoth (Egyptian) 

Deities of Death and the Underworld 

Anubis (Egyptian) 

Demeter (Greek)

Freya (Norse) 

Hades (Greek) 

Hecate (Greek)

Hel (Norse) 

Meng Po (Chinese) 

Morrighan (Celtic) 

Osiris (Egyptian) 

Whiro (Maori) 

Yama (Hindu) 

Deities of the Winter Solstice 

Alcyone (Greek) 

Ameratasu (Japan) 

Baldur (Norse) 

Bona Dea (Roman) 

Cailleach Bheur (Celtic) 

Demeter (Greek) 

Dionysus (Greek) 

Frau Holle (Norse) 

Frigga (Norse) 

Hodr (Norse) 

Holly King (British/Celtic) 

Horus (Egyptian) 

La Befana (Italian) 

Lord of Misrule (British)

Mithras (Roman) 

Odin (Norse) 

Saturn (Roman) 

Spider Woman (Hopi)

Deities of Imbolc 

Aradia (Italian) 

Aenghus Og (Celtic) 

Aphrodite (Greek) 

Bast (Egyptian) 

Ceres (Roman) 

Cerridwen (Celtic) 

Eros (Greek) 

Faunus (Roman) 

Gaia (Greek) 

Hestia (Greek) 

Pan (Greek) 

Venus (Roman) 

Vesta (Roman) 

Deities of Spring 

Asase Yaa (Ashanti) 

Cybele (Roman) 

Eostre (Western Germanic) 

Freya (Norse) 

Osiris (Egyptian) 

Saraswati (Hindu) 

Fertility Deities 

Artemis (Greek) 

Bes (Egyptian) 

Bacchus (Roman) 

Cernunnos (Celtic) 

Flora (Roman) 

Hera (Greek) 

Kokopelli (Hopi) 

Mbaba Mwana Waresa (Zulu) 

Pan (Greek) 

Priapus (Greek) 

Sheela-na-Gig (Celtic) 

Xochiquetzal (Aztec)

Deities of the Summer Solstice

Amaterasu (Shinto) 

Aten (Egyptian) 

Apollo (Greek) 

Hestia (Greek) 

Horus (Egyptian) 

Huitzilopochtli (Aztec) 

Juno (Roman) 

Lugh (Celtic) 

Sulis Minerva (Celtic, Roman) 

Sunna or Sol (Germanic) 

Deities of the Fields

Adonis (Assyrian) 

Attis (Phrygean) 

Ceres (Roman) 

Dagon (Semitic) 

Demeter (Greek) 

Lugh (Celtic) 

Mercury (Roman) 

Osiris (Egyptian) 

Parvati (Hindu) 

Pomona (Roman)  

Tammuz (Sumerian) 

Deities of the Hunt 

Artemis (Greek) 

Cernunnos (Celtic) 

Diana (Roman) 

Herne (British, Regional) 

Mixcoatl (Aztec) 

Odin (Norse) 

Ogun (Yoruba) 

Orion (Roman) 

Pakhet (Egyptian) 

Warrior Deities 

Ares (Greek) 

Athena (Greek) 

Bast (Egyptian) 

Huitzilopochtli (Aztec) 

Mars (Roman) 

The Morrighan (Celtic) 

Thor (Norse) 

Tyr (Norse) 

Warrior Pagans

Mother Goddesses 

Asasa Ya (Ashanti) 

Bast (Egyptian) 

Bona Dea (Roman) 

Brighid (Celtic) 

Cybele (Roman) 

Demeter (Greek) 

Freya (Norse)

Frigga (Norse) 

Gaia (Greek) 

Isis (Egyptian) 

Juno (Roman) 

Mary (Christian, but not referred to as a goddess according to some Christian beliefs) 

Yemaya (West African/ Yoruban)

Source: https://www.learnreligions.com/types-of-pagan-deities-2561986 the links of each category show the deities provided

Unique Grimoire Topics

While planning for this I looked through possibly every single post listing prompts for your grimoire on this site, and listen 98% of those lists are exactly the same. No shade on the ppl who make these lists, since I found that stuff really useful for brainstorming my own ideas, but here’s a list of ideas that I haven’t anywhere on tumblr. They’re unique, specific, and in no particular order, but they might help other witches. So:

Gardening Calendar - when to sow and when to reap, winter plants vs summer plants, etc.

Nice sounding words and names for when I want spells to sound good.

Cryptids/Myths - (fear gortach, baba yaga, the jersey devil, and kelpies are some of my faves)

Skill Building techniques - recipes for candle/incense making, book binding, sewing/patterns, tea making, etc. I tend to approach things as a jack of all trades/master of none, and it’d be nice to have one place with a lot of tips for things I’ve learned and can apply to my craft.

basics of chemistry and practical uses (i.e. removing rust, different colors of fire and how to use them in spells, etc)

Art pages for drawing new witchy tattoo ideas

A chart of which plants mix badly with medications I take (!!!!!)

an entire info page on practicing safely honestly

Witchcraft is about using all your senses to affect change in the world. A research page on senses other than the 5 that everyone knows?

Current politics. Yeah, really. There’s this curse Trump movement going on, or it was going on a while ago. You don’t have to use curses I feel to affect some change, at least in your local government. Of course, witchcraft should only be a supplement to actually voting/calling senators.

How to attract pollinators - butterflies, bumble bees, etc.

also how to get rid of invasive species

History of the Satanic Panic and how that affected witchcraft

Myths, Creatures, and Folklore

Want to create a religion for your fictional world? Here are some references and resources!

General:

General Folklore

Various Folktales

Heroes

Weather Folklore

Trees in Mythology

Animals in Mythology

Birds in Mythology

Flowers in Mythology

Fruit in Mythology

Plants in Mythology

Folktales from Around the World

Africa:

Egyptian Mythology

African Mythology

More African Mythology

Egyptian Gods and Goddesses

The Gods of Africa

Even More African Mythology

West African Mythology

All About African Mythology

African Mythical Creatures

Gods and Goddesses

The Americas:

Aztec Mythology

Haitian Mythology

Inca Mythology

Maya Mythology

Native American Mythology

More Inca Mythology

More Native American Mythology

South American Mythical Creatures

North American Mythical Creatures

Aztec Gods and Goddesses

Asia:

Chinese Mythology

Hindu Mythology

Japanese Mythology

Korean Mythology

More Japanese Mythology

Chinese and Japanese Mythical Creatures

Indian Mythical Creatures

Chinese Gods and Goddesses

Hindu Gods and Goddesses

Korean Gods and Goddesses

Europe:

Basque Mythology

Celtic Mythology

Etruscan Mythology

Greek Mythology

Latvian Mythology

Norse Mythology

Roman Mythology

Arthurian Legends

Bestiary

Celtic Gods and Goddesses

Gods and Goddesses of the Celtic Lands

Finnish Mythology

Celtic Mythical Creatures

Gods and Goddesses

Middle East:

Islamic Mythology

Judaic Mythology

Mesopotamian Mythology

Persian Mythology

Middle Eastern Mythical Creatures

Oceania:

Aboriginal Mythology

Polynesian Mythology

More Polynesian Mythology

Mythology of the Polynesian Islands

Melanesian Mythology

Massive Polynesian Mythology Post

Maori Mythical Creatures

Hawaiian Gods and Goddesses

Hawaiian Goddesses

Gods and Goddesses

Creating a Fantasy Religion:

Creating Part 1

Creating Part 2

Creating Part 3

Creating Part 4

Fantasy Religion Design Guide

Using Religion in Fantasy

Religion in Fantasy

Creating Fantasy Worlds

Beliefs in Fantasy

Some superstitions:

Read More

keeping clutter-free

[ID: an animated gif of grandma Sophie from the movie Howl’s Moving castle sweeping a broom around a dirty and dusty room, with dust clouds filling the air]

some tips from a neatfreak autistic for anyone who might find this helpful :o)

🧹 first things first, if you find cleaning or decluttering overwhelming, try to break it up into small steps for yourself, like cleaning a single surface or drawer a day - and if you find yourself struggling beyond that with issues such as executive dysfunction, don’t be scared to seek help or search for more specific tips

🧺 i like to designate a specific place for everything, without it neccessarily being a filing cabinet or something really strict - a simple system like socks in the bottom drawer, shirts in the top, fictional books on the left side of a shelf, etc, can make a big difference in helping you find stuff and feel more organised

🧹 keep a bin in most rooms, even if it’s just a waste paper basket, it’s easier to be motivated to throw things away if the trash is closer

🧺 you might have a lot of things you don’t use, but don’t want to get rid of in case you need them someday in the future - try stowing these away in a ‘backup’ drawer or suitcase, or hidden on a top shelf somewhere; so they won’t get in the way of things you frequently use, but they’re there if you need them

🧹 when you do get rid of something, be sure to donate or pass it on it if you can, unless it’s completely unsalvageable, chances are someone could make use of it

🧺 personally i like to declutter once a year, but you could spread this out over a few months, or longer - just be sure to do it somewhat regularly, it can help you find missing things, or clear out space

🧹 i ask a few questions with each item as i go through my clutter -

do i ever use this?

do i need it?

will i need it in the future?

does it make me happy to have around?

do i want to keep it for sentimental value?

if i answer ‘no’ to all of these, away to the donation box it goes!

🧺 and i think my most important tip is to not let yourself feel pressured into getting rid of things that you have a lot of or don’t use, especially if they make you happy - minimalist interiors can be nice, but it’s lovely to fill your space with things you love, even if they don’t have a use! if it makes you happy, it stays

Declutter Your Life

I’ve resolved that every Wednesday, I will write a masterpost about self care and living clean and happy lifestyles. Mainly because my blog is devoted to that too, besides being a studyblr, but I hardly ever post original content about it, so hereeee we go. :)

Plan first

Make a list of areas you want to tackle

Or items you want to go through

Set how long you’ll clean

And a little reward for yourself when you’ve reached that goal

Envision what you want your space to look like at the end

Set aside three baskets or areas: one for things to keep, one for things to trash, and one for things to donate/sell

House

There are just some ideas of things to get rid of or pare down. Feel free to add your own. :)

Bedroom

unnecessary pillows on your bed or extra blankets

monsters under your bed

chargers, wires, etc. that go to devices you don’t have anymore or that are broken

old devices, phones, ipods

books you felt kinda eh about while reading them

copies of books or CDs

old notebooks

sticky notes that have lost their stickiness

broken pencils

markers that have dried up

any art supply you don’t use

scrap paper that’s gotten too small

scrap yarn that’s gotten too small

old art projects

unfinished art projects

papers

candles w/o any smell

Scentsy-type stuff w/o any smell

Closet

clothes that don’t fit

all of those clothes you save for your “ugly days”

shoes that hurt that you don’t even like the looks of

underwear with holes (or blood stains - ya feel me, girls?)

socks without a matching pair

socks with holes

bras that are even looking tired

copies of clothes, like multiple white t-shirts

jewelry you don’t wear

childish jewelry

broken jewelry

Bathroom

hygiene products past their expiration date

faded towels

bottles with only a few drops of product left

worn out toothbrushes

hairbands that have lost their elasticity

congealed nail polish

makeup you regret buying

Digital Life

Social Media

Unfollow people, be merciless, make your social media a place of positivity

unfriend toxic people (see the next section)

go through your own posts and delete anything you regret posting

take social media breaks

Computer

upload all of your photos to Google photos or flickr or photobucket or onedrive or whatever, or even a CD, then delete them from your memory

also back up important documents or just things you want to keep to something else and delete them on your computer

go through and sort everything into files

delete any programs you don’t use

Phone

clean out your pictures, upload them to cloud or whatever

delete all of the apps you don’t use or need

go through your contacts and delete the people you don’t want to contact anymore

delete old text message conversations

give yourself a new background too, something clean and simple

Relationships

Get rid of those people who are toxic in your life, mute notifications from them, unfollow them on social media (you can unfollow someone one facebook without unfriending them), don’t answer them often

make an effort to interact with people face-to-face rather than through text or the internet

decide who you want to actively invest your energy in

School

make a study schedule

prioritize your schedule – study the hardest subjects the most

remember that grades are important

also remember that grades aren’t everything 

(pls don’t fire me from being a studyblr)

if you can’t get everything you need to do done in 24 hours without sacrificing 8 hours of sleep and a bit of time for yourself, then you’re doing too much

Best tip to stay decluttered: Learn to say no.

Write your Witchcraft

The thing is, we change. We are not the same person we were five years ago. Hel, a lot of us are not even the same people we were last week. We change, and our beliefs, favourites, thoughts and the way we see ourselves changes with it. 

The same is true for our witchraft, religion and spiritual beliefs. This is why I have a list of question that I like to answer for myself every couple of years. I first started this when I came across a list of questions by Juniper from Walking the Hedge (site no longer in use) in 2008, yes, over ten years ago. Every few years I filled in the questions and looked back at the answers I gave before. Some never changed, some changed quite a lot. 

When our coven started a new lesson plan, I gave out the list of questions as well. We sealed our answers in envelopes and plan to fill them in again, once we finish our lessons. Then open the envelopes and look at the answers side by side. To see how we have changed. 

I looked at the list last week and found it actually lacking a bit. The questions were very deity- and spiritual based, so I was missing some more questions about my personality and witchcraft. So I decided to make my own list of questions! 

Since I wanted to make this more a weekly journaling/grimoire prompt for myself I put together 52 questions. These can be answered weekly (maybe every year) or you can work through the list in one go and repeat that every few years or so. 

Some notes on the wording: I consider myself both a witch and a pagan, but to keep it easier to read I only used wording like “witch” and “witchcraft”, they can however be substituted for “pagan”, “paganism” or even “my path”, should that fit you better. When I talk about “sacred space” this can both mean a ritual space like a temple or casting of a circle, but also just your home or outdoors witchy environment.

I’d love it if you would tag anything you feel comfortable with posting online with the tag #writeyourwitchcraft!

What draws me to witchcraft?

How do I see the divine?

What in witchcraft makes me happy?

Do I want to follow a path that has to do with a little nature, or a lot of nature?

What areas of witchcraft would I like to learn more about?

Where do my witchy talents lie?

What kind of deities, if any, do I want to honor?

How do I believe magic works?

Simple or elaborate spells/rituals? Why?

What are my views on cursing/hexing?

Do I want to practice something similar to my ancestors?

What are the basic morals and ethics I feel I should live by?

What in nature am I drawn to; the ocean, animals, the trees, etc?

Which (witchy) holidays, if any, would I like to celebrate and how?

How do I believe divination works?

Would I like to work with a group some of the time, all of the time or not at all?

Which aspects of witchcraft appeal to me most, which the least?

What do I believe happens to us when we die?

How do I see mythological creatures?

When do I feel most magical?

How much is witchcraft woven into my daily life; is this too much, too little or just enough?

What kind of witch do I feel I am?

Which texts/quotes best describe my current path?

Do I like research and gathering info, or do I like things handed to me?

Which things about witchcraft worry or scare me?

What is my favourite element?

How do I see gender (roles) in witchcraft?

Am I interested more in magic, or spirituality?

Do I like to be told how to do things, or would I rather figure it out on my own?

What rules, if any, do I live by when it comes to witchcraft and magic?

What do I gain from witchcraft and magic?

Formal or informal rituals/spells? Why?

What subject do I love to study?

What is my favourite type of magic; candle, sympathetic, sigils, etc?

What would my perfect witchy day be like?

Would I want to be dedicated/initiated?

Who do I honor (ex: deities, ancestors, myself, etc), and how do I, or would I like to, honor them?

How do I create a sacred/witchy space?

What do I believe is needed for a succesful spell/ritual?

Which cultures do I draw from in my witchcraft?

What is my learning style; books, websites, videos, more hands-on?

What, if anything, in my mundane life influences my witchcraft?

What are my hobbys, how do I (or can I) incorporate them in my witchcraft?

Where do my non-witchy talents lie, how do I (or can I) incorporate them in my witchcraft?

What would my dream witchy life look like? What steps can I take to work towards it?

What would my dream sacred space/witchy home look like? What steps can I take to work towards it?

What symbols correspond with me; runes, animals, flowers, gemstones, etc?

Am I an open and proud witch, or do I (need to) hide my craft?

What are my favourite witchy items/tools; divination tool, ritual tool, décor, clothing, etc?

What is holding me back in my craft?

What is my pre-spell/ritual routine?

What are my ultimate witchy goals and how can I work towards them?

Magical Parenting ✨

• Teach your children the importance of grounding, deep breathing, higher thinking and meditation.

• keep crystals in their room (out of reach if their the age to put things in their mouths) for creativity, calm, imagination, and good sleep.

•anoint them with protection oil before they set out for the day.

• teach them the power of their words; about manifestation and speaking their intentions into existence.

• all kitchen witchery, choose foods and herbs that you correspond with self-love, determination, success, happiness, etc.

• observe how they respond to nature. foster any interests they have and teach them the magic of the world around them.

•keep a satchet/crystal/mini spell jar for success and determination in/on/near training potty or toilet during potty training.

•add essential oils to their humidifier.

•write original songs, books, stories & do crafts with them. they can all be forms of spells. ecreate a sigil from their name, use for protection spells, lunch box notes, birthday cards, etc.

•essential oils in their shoes to guide their steps towards success.

Witchcraft 102 Masterpost

So. You’ve covered the basics. You know what every kind of ritual tool does, you understand all the terms that seemed alien to you before and you think you’re finally starting to get a feel for this witchcraft thing. You’re not a baby witch anymore, but… where to from here? Making the move from beginner witch to intermediate witch is a lot more difficult than it seems, purely because resources aimed at intermediate witchcraft are few and far between. But there’s a good reason for that.

There are general rules and ideas that can be applied across all of witchcraft. There’s so much to learn from other witches, but your greatest teacher will always be yourself. There is a reason witchcraft is so customisable to the individual: some things just work better for certain people. Not to mention pretty much every magick practice in history was developed by witches using their intuition! Because of this, it’s hard to create resources that tell somehow how to go from a beginner to an intermediate. However, they do exist! You’ll just find that most of them will act as prompts or scaffolds. They’ll instruct you on how to figure things out for yourself.

This next stage of your craft will involve a lot of introspection, and a lot of trusting your gut. It’s the reason you learnt all that baby witch stuff in the first place. This is where most of the personal growth happens. It can be scary, but it’ll also be magical. It’ll be a while before you actually qualify as an ‘intermediate witch’, and there’s no shame in that. The process of moving from beginner to intermediate is one that can take years, simply because witchcraft is such a deep and complex art. I myself definitely wouldn’t identify as a baby witch, but I’m still a beginner in many aspects despite having been a witch for years.

Without further ado, I present to you witchcraft 102.

GENERAL

The Problem with Sharing Advanced Magic

Using Tumblr as a Resource

How to Stop Being a Beginner Witch

How to Deepen Your Craft

Developing Your Craft Beyond Tumblr

Creating a Spiritual Calendar

SOAP Journaling: a Devotional Framework

Devotional Journal (for deity worship)

Questions for a Deeper Spiritual Practice

ORGANISATION

When reading through information, I recommend taking notes on the content, as well as your thoughts on it. Do you notice any connections to other texts or ideas? Do you have any questions you’d like to follow up? This will not only help you remember the information, but encourage you to look at it critically and see the bigger picture. Here is an example of my personal note-taking scaffold which includes some of the notes I took a while ago. I adapted it from the Cornell notes system based on my personal needs.

At TechnoCoven, a recent online witchcraft convention, there was an hour-long panel about planning in witchcraft called Spirit Papers. Here is a link to the recording. It goes over different organisation systems, notebooks, etc.

Why you should cite sources

How to cite sources

What is an annotated bibliography?

I would highly recommend setting aside a specific time every day to study witchcraft. This way, you will be improving your craft every day. Even if you only set aside half an hour, you will be doing three and a half hours of study a week. An hour a day totals to seven hours a week. If you can’t find a specific time every day, then find a specific time every week. 6pm-8pm on Tuesday and Saturday, for example, or reserve all of Sunday afternoon. This structure obviously isn’t compulsory, but with it you will advance at a much quicker pace and probably find your craft more fulfilling.

You should definitely have a grimoire already, but if you don’t, get one. It can be on paper or online, if you’d prefer. OneNote, Evernote, Microsoft Word and Google Docs are all viable digital options. You probably have lots of loose information lying around, whether its physical, in note form or on your Tumblr blog. Categorise it and order it. Then go through it. Document the important and useful parts in your grimoire.

READING

Elemental Magick in Science

Elemental Systems

The Darker Elements

History of Magick Part 1

History of Magick Part 2

History of Magick Part 3

History of Magick Part 4

How Location and History Affect Spiritual Practices

Botanical Medicine for Women’s Health (ebook)

TAROT

Stop Learning Tarot Like Flash Cards

Learning the Major Arcana

Learning the Court Cards

Reading Tarot Cards Vertically

Reading Reversed Cards

How to Take Notes on a (New) Tarot Deck

Understanding Yourself Tarot Mega-Spread

Conceptions of the Self Through Spreads

Shadow February Divination Challenge

Daily Tarot Journal Printable

SHADOW WORK

Introduction to Shadow Work

6 Phrases for Shadow Work

Safety Planning (good to have one of these if you’re doing shadow work and have a mental illness)

Shadow Working with Stuck Points

Shadow Work with Hillbillyoracle (pt. 1)

Shadow Work with Hillbillyoracle (pt. 2)

Hillbillyoracle’s Personal Shadow Work Framework

RESEARCH

Good Things to Research When You Don’t Know What to Research

Areas of Research for the Intermediate Witch

Masterlist of Journals, Articles & Books on Folklore, Mythology and the Occult

Index of Old Grimoires

Working with Plants

Tips on How to Google Correspondences

The Cornell University Library Witchcraft Collection

Sacred Text Archive

Bocastle Museum of Witchcraft

Occult Library

Hermetics Library

Project Gutenberg Paganism Bookshelf

Legal Free Ebooks Masterpost

Good Pagan & Wiccan Publishers

How to Get Use Out of Older Texts

Finding Experienced Witches

PRACTICE

What to Do When You Fall out of Practice

Making Your Own Correspondences

Pendulum Dowsing for Correspondences

2019 Grimoire Challenge (a year of grimoire prompts)

Stones for Advanced Practitioners

On Tools and Psychodrama

A Way to Astral Project

Energy Alignment Identification

Magic in the Body

Spell Circles

Irish Concept of “On the Breath”

Sky Catch

Verbal Sigils

PODCASTS

Tea With the Gods

The Hillbilly Oracle

Hex Positive

The History of Witchcraft

The Empowered Modern Witches Show

Academy of Affluence

TESTIMONIALS

A Samhain Fairytale

Foundations of Diywitchery’s Practice

Godphoning

Devotional activities

GET OFF TUMBLR (AKA GET SOME VARIETY IN YOUR SOURCES) I’ve got some examples listed here but there are definitely more out there!

Bree NicGarran’s Blog

Luna Luna Magazine (Blog)

Witchy Words (Blog)

Mumble & Things (Blog)

Down the Forest Path (Blog)

The Travelling Witch (Blog)

Prisoner’s Apothecary (Blog)

Harmony Nice (Youtube)

BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS

6 Books for Advancing Your Craft

Hellenic Polytheism Books

Walker Between Worlds by Robert Kirk (I haven’t read it so I can’t vouch for its quality but I’ve heard its a valuable resources for those wanting to learn about the fae)

The Study of Witchcraft: A Guidebook to Advanced Wicca by Deborah Lipp (I will link to my book review here; this book is essentially a study guide)

Evolution of Goddess by Emma Mildon (book recommendation) (especially good if you are looking to find a deity but are unsure of where to start)

The Occult, Witchcraft & Magic: An Illustrated History by Christopher Dell (a fantastic starting place for looking into occult history)

Building a Magical Home

One of my favorite quotes about the magic of homemaking comes from Cory Hutcheson, host of the New World Witchery podcast. He says, “Home is a transformational act. It is the thing you do to turn a space into a space… that is full of ritual and significance and meaning. So there is sort of this ongoing relationship you have with the space that makes it a home.”

The act of creating a home, of making a space your own, is inherently magical. But if you want to make your space feel a little more witchy, here are some ideas to get you started.

Charms and Talismans

Making your own magical objects can be a powerful way to bring magic into your space. The best thing about making your own charms is that you can make them look however you want, so it’s easy to disguise them as ordinary household objects. You can make a charm for any intention by combining objects based on their magical correspondences.

I’ve talked about protective charms in previous posts, so I’m not gonna spend a lot of time on it here. The simplest protective charm is keeping a large piece of iron under your bed to keep away nightmares, evil spirits, and negative energy. You could also make your own protection charm, like a witch bottle.

You can create a “happy home” charm to bring peace, harmony, and happiness into your home. This charm could include herbs like basil, rosemary, lavender, peppermint, and/or bay leaves, as well as other items that you associate with peace and good fortune, like lucky coins, crystals, or black cat fur. Write your desires for a harmonious and happy home on a piece of paper, fold it up, and add it to the charm. You could store these items in a green bag, bury them in your backyard (in this case, make sure you’re only using biodegradable plant matter — leave out the coins and crystals), or place it inside a household object like a lamp or an end table.

If you suffer from insomnia or other sleep issues, try making a dream charm to help you sleep well and have sweet dreams. To make a simple dream charm, fill a blue or purple bag with lavender, chamomile, peppermint, and any other objects that you associate with peace, restfulness, and sleep. If you want to have lucid dreams or receive psychic messages in your dreams, include a bit of mugwort. Place the charm in your pillow or under your mattress. (I personally swear by this one, as it’s helped a lot with my insomnia.)

Charms are great for homemaking magic because you’re actually creating a magical object, which can then become a permanent fixture of the space.

Magical Decor

You can use magical items to decorate your home to bring certain qualities into that space.

Hanging or displaying a broom is said to bring good fortune, protection from evil, and good hospitality. Cauldrons are used to represent the Goddess, rebirth, and raw potential. Horseshoes hung above door frames bring safety and luck to all who cross under them, and keep unwanted guests away. If you can get them legally and ethically, animal bones, teeth, claws, and feathers can represent the spirit and energy of that animal. You can also put up images of spiritual and occult symbols — I have an image of the Sun tarot card hanging in my bedroom to promote positivity and growth.

If you need to be a little more subtle with your witchy decorations, working with the magic of color is a great way to do that. Gathering a lot of items of a single color in one room changes the energy of that room. Here’s a quick guide to give you some ideas:

Yellow is associated with divination, mental clarity, the element of air, success, communication, and inspiration.

Purple is associated with divine power, spiritual awareness, mystery, astral travel, magic, and authority.

Blue is associated with healing, psychic abilities, the element of water, peace, truth, and patience.

Red is associated with protection, the fire element, sex, power, vitality, and love.

Orange is associated with ambition, creativity, breaking through blockages, and career success.

Pink is associated with romantic love, friendship, self love, compassion, and emotional well-being.

Green is associated with nature, herbalism, the earth element, money, wealth, prosperity, and luck.

Brown is associated with grounding, animal magic, stability, and balance.

White is associated with purification, cleansing, the full moon, new beginnings, healing, and spiritual growth.

Black is associated with protection, truth, outer space, banishing, and transition.

Decorating your home with colors that are meaningful to you can create a powerful magical space. You may also have your own color associations (for example, yellow is a very “happy” color for me), so feel free to incorporate those into your decor as well!

Growing Magical Houseplants

Most witches feel a very deep connection to nature and draw power from the natural world, but we can’t all live in a cottage in the heart of the forest. Even if you live in a tiny apartment in the city, you can still bring nature into your space by keeping houseplants. Many popular houseplants have magical uses, and many popular magic herbs can be grown inside. Here are a few to get you started.

Aloe. This is one of my favorite plants. Aloe brings luck and protection, especially protection on an energetic/spiritual level. I like to keep aloe in my bedroom to protect me while I sleep, as well as to bring luck and inspiration while I’m working at my desk.

Basil. Basil is very popular in money spells, and will attract prosperity and luck to your home. However, it also has protective properties — both spiritual protection and protection from bugs, since basil is a natural insect repellent! Basil can also be used in love spells, and is just generally a good plant to have around for good vibes.

African Violet. This flowering plant attracts positive spiritual energy into your space. It has associations with the moon and the water element, and is very good for promoting spirituality and psychic power.

Rosemary. Rosemary is one of those herbs that every witch should have on hand. It’s so darn versatile, it can be used as a substitute for virtually any other herb, and can be used for almost any intention. Some of the most common magical associations for rosemary include: cleansing, purification, protection, healing, mental activity, and enhancing memory. According to author Deborah J. Martin, there’s an old English saying that, “Where rosemary grows, the woman rules the house.” Like basil, rosemary is a natural insect repellent.

Lavender. Lavender brings peace, love, and gentleness, which makes it a perfect addition to any home. It can be used in spells for cleansing and purification, enhancing psychic abilities, and stress relief. Lavender is also a powerful addition to love spells. Keeping lavender in the bedroom can aid in restful sleep, while lavender in the kitchen will bring harmony to the home.

Sage. Sage is the most talked about cleansing herb, and with good reason. Unfortunately, a lot of the sage bundles you can buy at metaphysical stores are made with white sage (Salvia apiana), which is sacred to Native American peoples and is endangered due to overharvesting. Instead of buying those, why not grow your own garden sage (Salvia officinalis), which has a lot of the same magical properties? Growing sage in your home will purify the space and protect those who live there. Sage also has an association with wisdom and mental prowess.

Hoya. Hoya is a common houseplant that you’ve probably seen even if you don’t know it by name. It has a distinctive appearance with waxy, dark green leaves and clusters of white, star-shaped flowers. Hoya aligns and balances the energy centers within your body, as well as in the surrounding space. It’s associated both with grounding and with spiritual openness, so it can be great for balancing the two.

Peppermint. Peppermint has a variety of magical uses, but my favorite way to use it is for gently opening up blockages and getting things moving. It’s great for cleansing, but is more gentle than rosemary or sage. Place it in any room where you tend to do a lot of healing work, or where you could use some peace and love. Peppermint is also used in dream magic, so growing it in the bedroom may bring on vivid or lucid dreams.

Orchid. Orchids are used in magic for love and lust. Historically, orchid has been used in folk medicine to promote male virility and “Jezebel root,” used in American folk magic to attract wealthy male lovers, is a type of orchid root. If you live with a significant other, try growing an orchid in the bedroom to promote passion in your sex life. Otherwise, grow orchids in your home to promote love or to attract romance.

Catnip. If you have cats, they’ll love this one. Catnip is actually a type of mint, and has strong lunar associations. It’s said to make one more charming and attractive, and is especially useful for attracting women. At the same time, catnip promotes courage and fierceness. It is also, of course, associated with cats and feline deities, so this is definitely a plant you’ll want to keep around if the cat is one of your animal guides.

If you have a yard space that you can turn into an outdoor garden, your magical plant options are limited only by your local ecosystem. Some outdoor plants that have magical uses include roses, sunflowers, rue, lemon balm, and strawberries.

Creating an Altar

Altars are focal points of magical and spiritual energy. Many people, both witches and non-witches, find that having a designated space for their spiritual practice creates a deeper sense of sacredness and purpose.

An altar can serve lots of different purposes. Many witches use their altar as a magical work space to prepare spells, meditate, and do divination. You may choose to dedicate your altar to a deity, your ancestors, or some other spirit(s) you work with. You can also build altars for specific intentions, such as a money altar or a love altar — performing rituals at this altar everyday is a powerful method for manifestation. You altar may be some or all of these things, or it may just be a place to sit and connect with the spiritual.

You can set up an altar on any flat surface, like a shelf or table, or inside a container like a jewelry box. Your setup can be as simple or as elaborate as you like. An altar can be huge and complex, with statues and candles and flowers, or it can be as simple as a tealight and an incense burner. It’s all about what appeals to you.

Resources:

New World Witchery pocast, “Episode 143 — The Magical Home”

Southern Cunning: Folkloric Witchcraft in the American South by Aaron Oberon

Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner by Scott Cunningham

“Candle colors and their meanings” by Michelle Gruben on the Grove and Grotto blog

Green Witchcraft by Paige Vanderbeck

A Green Witch’s Cupboard by Deborah J. Martin

“The Magic of Orchids in Wiccan Love Spells & Rituals” on the Art of the Root blog

Housewarming Magic

For when you’ve moved into a new living situation or are ready for a new start <3

Finding your home/moving:

Spell for your dream house

The witch’s moving checklist

Cleansing:

Room cleansing

To absorb negative energy from a room

Summer house cleansing

Herbal wall/floor wash + witchy cleaners

Home cleansing tips

Home cleansing brew

Thoroughly clearing spaces

Crystals to cleanse the home

Cleansing your space without smoke

Cleansing your space: a how-to guide

Energy cleansing

Low energy cleaning + cleansing

Warding + Protection:

A crash course on warding

To ward the home

Threshold magic 101

Protect my home spell

Home protection steam spell

Simple home protection jar spell

“Little lurkers” home protection spell

Room/home protection

Wall of fire property & house protection spell

Protection (wind) chimes

The Rowan cross

Check out the sigils below!

Sigils:

“For a magical and happy home”

“Sospidonum”

“This space is full of life, light, and bright energy”

“No fighting in this home”

“My home is safe”

“This home is safe for all”

“This home is a safe and healthy environment”

“My house is protected from unwanted influences”

“My home is protected”

Witchin’ it up:

Happy home spell jar

Home sweet home spell jar

House to home spell

Doing the dishes the witchy way

Homemade laundry detergent recipe

Laundry magic

Pleasing household spirits

When a bad guest leaves

Building a magical home

Odds and ends:

Magic, and power, in homemaking

The history and creation of witch bottles

Cottage witch tips

Hearth witch tips

The basics of kitchen and cottage witchcraft

You may also like:

Bedridden witch: garden / stale energy / kitchen edition

Spells for job seekers

Travel witchery

Links updated October, 2020 (please inform me of broken links via askbox)

Masterpost for dummies - which I am

Homemade posts:

Witchy iced tea recipe

Protection oil for broke ass baby witch

Egg spell for curses and blessings

Yule spelljar

Comfort-with-my-sexuality spelljar

Water unsafe crystals

Sun-hating crystals

Personal prayer to Dionysus

Personal hymn to Dionysus

Personal hymn to Dionysus 2

Creative writing for Dionysus

Deity music bingo 1

Purring for anxiety

Tips:

Basics-of-how-to-witch-without-dying-101

Crash course on warding

Home witchcraft

How to research efficiently

Tips for growing herbs

Grimoire ideas

Folklore lists

Attracting money

Crystal color tip

Writing tips

Herbs you can find at the grocery store

Safety tips

Safety rules for self-preserved witch

City witch tips

Hearth witch protection tips

Rune-reading made easy

A list of underrated divination methods

How to clean bones - a guide

Hey don’t join a cult - red flags

On the Law of Attraction

Correspondence:

Making your own correspondence

Witch runes

Water

Witchy water

Alcohol

Salt

Funny ring correpondence

Bells in Witchcraft

The clairs and what the hell they are

Long-asf-crystal-list

Crystals for protection

Various crystals and their uses

What causes damage to crystals

Natural items

Herbal remedies

Mushrooms!!!

Herbs and essential oils

Incense and oils

Poisonous plants chart

Hex/curse/jinx plants

Plants of the dead

Trees

Tree symbolism

Wood for wand

Long-asf-color-association

Simpler color 1

Simpler color 2

Simpler color 3

Cat color

Astrology

Elder futhatrk runes correspondence

A guide to Greek Alphabet runes

Body parts - proceed with caution

Bones correspondence

Deities and entities:

Deities moodboard

How to make offerings - an illustrated guide

Why reciprocity matters in relationships with the invisible

Why food offerings are important

Offerings to Dionysus

Prayer do Dionysus

Prayer to Dionysus Androgynos and Lysios

Offerings to Artemis

Psa on working with the fair folk

Ghost hunting

Psa on spirit work

Spirit banishment

Rituals:

Yule practices

Yule practices 2

Libations

Effects of libations in the garden

Greco-roman protection

How to spiritually protect yourself

A witch’s self care tips

Shrines and their uses

Wheel of the year for bedridden witches

Recipes:

Rose oil

Simple oil recipes

How to make herbal rememdies

Solar Juice

Herbal hair rinse 

Energy-cleansing bath scrub

Bug bite salve 

How to make herbal remedies

Yule tea

Drink magic masterpost

Blood ink

Dove blood ink

Spellcandles making

Banishing water

Spells:

Yule solar energy

Fire summoning

Storm summoning 1

Storm summoning 2

Kiss-that-bitch-goodbye banishing spell

Begone-bullshitter spell

No-one-deserves-you spell

Get-the-fuck-away-from-me spell 

Realize-the hurt-you-did spell

Letting go - banishing spell

The seven stings hex

My-pain-to-yours curse

List of curses

Blood magic 101

Gender magic!!!

Polyamorous Love-strengthening pells

Spelljars:

Simple spelljar ingredients

Yule spelljar ingredients

Yule spelljar

Yule spelljar 2

Money spelljar

Prosperity spelljar

Protection spelljar 1

Protection spelljar 2

Your-hatred-is-your-own curse jar

Books:

Witchy books list

There is a lot to learn about Wicca/Witchcraft and sometimes it can get pretty overwhelming. Here are a few things you can research if you’re stuck! I made sure to include the absolute basics such as “Paganism vs Wicca vs Witchcraft” but also the more in-depth, yet still important, research items such as “History of Wicca”

This one will be updated regularly! (Version: 1, Last updated: 13th of February 2021)

Keep reading

hi! i’ve been struggling with a lot of negative thoughts lately, especially during this social isolation period. do you have any tips for dispelling mental negativity?

Hello! This is a tough time for us all, and it’s completely understandable to be dealing with an increase in negative thoughts and emotions. I’m fairly well-practiced at social isolation/staying at home for long periods of time due to chronic health issues, so I’ll talk about what helps me!

Take care of physical needs.

I challenge you to spend five minutes making yourself more comfortable. Here’s some things you might do:

Change clothes/into something more comfortable. 

Wash your face, neck, arms, etc. with a wet washcloth. 

Brush or comb your hair.

Brush your teeth.

Put on lip balm or lotion. 

Drink some water (at least 3 mouthfuls). 

Go to the bathroom!

Pay attention to sore/stiff areas of your body. Stretch and do what you need to in order to feel better. (Also fix your posture and relax your jaw!)

When was the last time you had fruit or veggies?

Do you have glasses? They could probably be cleaner. 

Get some fresh air, even if you need to hang your head out the window.

Next level physical needs:

Take a bath or shower. 

Go for a walk if you can, or move around your home (dance, yoga, shuffle around in your blanket cloak, whatever).

Set some hydration goals.

Follow your medication schedule.

Eat balanced meals, however that looks for you. 

Go to bed a bit earlier, even if you can’t fall asleep keep the phone put away and just relax. 

Quick mental recharging:

Watch a cute video.

Watch a favorite movie/episode.

Change your surroundings; hang out in a different spot, change the lighting, even just rotate on your bed.

Play some music and fully listen to it. The full song, do nothing but listen. I love turning off the lights and chilling with my headphones in. OR taking a shower with the lights off and the music playing (just be safe!)

Put the phone down for a bit. Even if it’s a designated timeframe (5 minutes, 10 minutes, an hour, whatever.)

Write down whatever is bothering you. What are your thoughts? What’s triggering them? Often getting it down can help us release them. 

On that note, do things without your phone. Create, read a book, watch something with your phone in the other room. It’s a wonderful tool, but sometimes it can be too much!

Long-term mental recharging/goals:

Learn one new thing every day. It can be as simple as googling random facts or as complex as learning a new subject/topic/skill. Watch DIY or how its made videos. Just aim for learning one thing per day. 

Clean/tidy one thing per day. Made your bed? Moved the dishes into the kitchen? Put all the wrappers/whatever into a pile for later? Cleaned the entire house? Great! Just one thing, big or small. 

Get a hobby that doesn’t involve screen time. Knitting? Crocheting? Weaving? Sewing? Reading? Poetry? Gardening? Baking? Drawing? Painting? Creating? You don’t have to be good at it, learning is the fun part anyways! You also don’t have to do it every day, but you’ll hit a point where you’re aimlessly clicking between multiple apps and not enjoying any of it--that’s the time to return to your hobby. 

Figure out a schedule that works for you, and be gentle about it. 

Example: I fluctuate quite a bit with what time I’m ready to fall asleep, and I give myself a certain window that I can stay in bed (generally 10 hours is what I need). If I wake up before then, great! I can stay in bed until the window, but then I at least need to get up and take care of my needs before going back to my bed. But if I’m having a bad health day, that’s okay. You know what level of commitment you need to get benefit out of having a schedule. (TL;DR my schedule shifts with my needs, and that makes it work for me). 

Stay connected. Text people. Call them. Video chat. Send snail mail (if safe to do so). Message them. Let them know when you’re thinking of them. 

Related posts:

Bedridden witch: Stale energy edition

Magic to replenish energy

Rejuvenating witchcraft

Mentally ill witchcraft: For your symptoms

How I recovered from depression influenced by chronic illness

Spoonie witch masterpost

Grimoire - Magical Topics

Magic/Witchcraft Masterposts: An Leabhar na Draíochta (The Mori Witch’s Book of Magick) Witchcraft 102 Masterpost Gender Magic Rejuvenating Witchcraft witch self care masterpost! Love Magick Masterpost Beauty Magic Masterpost Valentine's Witchery Ultimate Protection Magic Masterpost; Part 1 Ultimate Protection Magic Masterpost, Part 2 coffee witchcraft Gentle Witchcraft Periods suck. Witchcraft helps. Travel Witchery Housewarming Magic Sick Witchery Witchcraft for the grieving Self-Care Tips Masterpost Energy Work Masterpost Energy Work Masterpost Protection Magick (A Masterpost) Tea Magic Drink Magic Masterpost

Some Types of Magic: Types of Magic Sympathetic Magic Knot, Thread & Cord Magic Sex Magic Witchcraft 101: Binding Magick Witchcraft 101: Uncrossing Hearth Witchery Ideas House Witch’s Chores and Witchy Home Quick Kitchen Witchcraft

Helpful Information: Liminal Spaces in Witchcraft Liminality & Liminal Spaces Consent vs Defending Sovereignty Law of Return Energy Work Terminology Energy Manipulation Guide: Sensing Energy Signs you may have been cursed/hexed Charms - Magic Without Tools Shadow Work 10 Prompts for Shadow Work A Long List of Ways to Spiritually Protect Yourself Localizing Your Practice Witchcraft 101: Veiling What to use when in witchcraft Some things you can keep track of as a witch Tapping Into Your Psychic Senses What are the Claires?

Witchcraft Practice in General: Grounding & Centering CENTERING Visualization Manifesting! Magical Journaling Gentle witch little things Manifest your dreams and desires Reconnecting with your craft Witchy Journal Prompts Become inspired again in your craft Come on, let's go for a walk and talk about Intuition Mindfulness Spiritual Burnout: Tips and Reminders What to do when you fell out with your practice Mundane Magic: Laundry Edition Mundane Magic: Office Edition Mundane Magic: Hand Washing Witchy “Planner” Magical Parenting Meditation: myths vs reality Write your Witchcraft Toxic Positivity Spiritual Bypassing & Why It’s Harmful Toxic positivity and spiritual bypassing in the witch and spiritual communities Racist Stereotypes About Magic witchcraft and the law Traditional Witchcraft is regional witchcraft How to make offerings to the Major Spirits (i.e. Gods), the Animal Familiar or the Household Fairy... with GIFs :)

Various Witchy Tips: Witch Tips for City Witches Magickal and Non-Magickal Tips for Writing Tips for the traveling witch Artsy Witch Ideas/Tips Glamour Witchcraft Tips

My Witchcraft Practice: Mentoring - something for experienced witches to consider Let's talk about ableism Let's talk about witchcraft and emotions The "advanced" witch The Empathic Witch Advice to witches and Pagans who wish to be allies Frequently Asked Questions For The Modern Day Witch Karma, what exactly is it? Meditation tips

Grimoire - Magical Things

Witch's Tools: Tools special ideas for your grimoire Grimoires vs Books of Shadows A Witch’s Ingredients: Charcoal Amulets vs. Talismans Charms, Amulets & Talismans Dressing Candles Spirit Dolls - Dolls and Witchcraft Bind Runes A witchy use for notebooks Why you should lock your mirrors and how to do it Bells in Witchcraft Witch’s Ladder

From the Kitchen: Egg Magic Eggshells + Witchcraft Black Salt witch's banishing salt bowl Moon Salt Sun Salts Rose Salt Protection/Warding Black Salt Salt Bowls to Absorb Negative Energy Wheel of the Year potions Magical Powders fire salt Salts

Flowers, Fruits, Vegetables, and Herbs: Witch Tips: Lavender Stinging Nettle The magic of roses herbal preparation types Herbal Glossary Types of herbal remedies From infusions and tinctures to oils and salves Drying and harvesting herbs Orange/Tangerine green magick for the home

Magical Waters: Water Masterpost Moon water correspondences Magical Waters & Recipes Types of water Infused Water Magic Solar Juice Witchcraft Sun water Uses For Moon Water How to make your own rose water War Water

From the Outdoors: Graveyard Dirt uses Earth Magic

Other Magical Things: Negativity Absorbing Buddy House Guardian Magickal Uses for Kisses The DOs and DON'Ts: Essential Oils Comfort Items + Witchcraft Music in Witchcraft “ With spells in her hair...”

Stuff for Spells and Magical Purposes: Spiritual Crafts Seven ways to bless a poppet How to Enchant Items How to Enchant Items Enchanted Items "how i enchant items" How to Charge Objects What is Charging and techniques Burnable Spellboxes Spell Envelopes

Plants & Herbs Magical Uses - Masterlist

Here you'll find a list of herbs and plants and their magical uses, including some tips and superstitions. The list will be updated, if you have any suggestions or want a specific herb to be added, let me know.

Basil Bay Leaf Catnip Cedar Cinnamon Cloves Heather Ivy Lavender Rosemary Poppy Saffron Sage Star Anise Thyme Turmeric Wormwood Yarrow

my witchy morning routine ♡

i thought it would be cute sharing my witchy morning routine in here, it could be a nice idea to give some inspiration to others and also to know me better since i don’t share much about me in here hehe

- first thing’s first, i get up and stretch a bit, i open my window and let some fresh air in

- then I go pet my sweet familiar and give him some treats

- i make myself some green tea and add a bit of cinnamon and honey for protection

- i normally drink my tea in my balcony to connect a bit with the nature that surrounds e, if you have a garden then you’re so lucky haha

- i check my daily activities on my bullet journal

- i do my skin care routine (all products are vegan and cruelty-free) and brush my teeth

- i put my workout clothes and jog for 15 minutes

- after that i wind down and take a long shower, i take the opportunity to charge my rose quartz with the running water. i also keep my crystals (the ones that are water resistant) next to me

- then i love to listen to some music and dance in my towel, I’d like to think that’s something Aphrodite would be proud of hehe

- after putting my clothes on, I hop into the sofa and read listening to the sounds of birds (if you have been following me for a while you already know that I’m a big bookworm)

- then I take out my familiar to a park and that’s basically it!

thank you for reading this far, i love all of my followers so much (◕‿◕✿)

note: i don’t go to school for medical reasons until september :( i’d like to do a post about it someday x

The mentality that is preached in a lot of Christian circles that you have to be grateful and happy no matter what is so so harmful

You're allowed to have feelings and be angry and be sad and that is not a sin

Lammas Resource Masterpost

A collection of categorized posts for your Lammas needs! What is Lammas? [X] Lammas is generally celebrated on August 1st in the Northern Hemisphere and February 1st in the Southern Hemisphere. Also called/merged with Lughnasadh.

The Basics:

Celebrate Lammas!

Lammas or Lughnasadh?

Lammas correspondences / more correspondences / even more

The witch at Lammas (history)

A solitary Lughnasadh celebration

Celebrating Lughnasadh in the kitchen and at home

Lammas: easy ways to celebrate / more ways to celebrate / even more

Subtle ways to celebrate

Lammas Crafts:

Leaf envelopes

Corn husk dolls

Lammas Recipes:

Lughnasadh sun tea

Honey lavender bread

Soda bread for Lammas

Lughnasadh bread recipe

No-knead artisan crusty bread

Strengthening magical onion jam

Lammas Spells:

Lammas bread protection spell

Lughnasadh/Lammas ritual

Lammas Tarot Spreads:

Lammas tarot spread (3 card)

The harvest: a Lammas spread (3 card)

Lammas harvest tarot spread (5 card)

Lughnasadh tarot spread (10 card)

Other:

First harvest incense recipe

Lughnasadh oil

Lammas playlist

Invocation to Brigid

Updated January of 2021. Please inform me of broken links via askbox!

Imbolc / Ostara / Beltane / Litha / Lammas / Mabon / Samhain / Yule / Bedridden ideas

Water moon culture?

Water moon culture is

Feeling overwhelmed because you soak up your surroundings like a sponge

Being perceptive as hell

Getting “vibes” from people and not knowing how to explain why you don’t like a certain person/thing

Being good at uncovering the truth and catching any lie 

Emotional rollercoasters for daaaays

24/7 daydreaming 

Being told you’re too “sensitive” because you feel things so deeply. It can be both a curse and a blessing.   

Forgiving people too easily, or letting people walk all over them. 

Knowing everyones secrets but (mostly) no one knows theirs 

The friend everyone goes to when they need to be comforted

Deep af talks

Feeling other peoples’ emotions. It can be fun, but it can also be emotionally exhausting.

Needing to be alone with your thoughts 

Using books/tv shows/art/music/poetry etc to escape reality.  

Witch blogs

I’ve been slacking with my craft (mainly because I have a 19 month old and a 2 month old) but I’m looking for more blogs to follow.

Reblog/like if you:

•are a witch that’s a mom

•are a hearth witch

•are a hedge witch

•do tarot readings

•post spells

Imbolc

Ostara

Beltane

Litha

Lammas

Mabon

Samhain

Yule

𝕾𝖆𝖇𝖇𝖆𝖙𝖘

{Art by Julia Nikita}

The sabbats are holidays celebrated throughout the year on solstices, equinoxes, and the midpoints between them. These sabbats form the Wheel of the year.

There is a controversy surrounding the dates of these holidays, as people celebrate them all over the earth, not only in the northen hemisphere but in the southern too. 

One viewpoint is that the Sabbats should be celebrated as they were originally created to be… in other words, Samhain is October 31st, regardless of where you live. In the Southern Hemisphere, even though you are just gearing up to summer on October 31st, this perspective says that you celebrate the cleansing and releasing, the honouring of the dead just as you would if you lived in the Northern Hemisphere. The other viewpoint (the one I personally agree with) is that you should celebrate when you feel like the season corresponds with the holiday, in other words, your craft, your rules. So if you live in the southern hemisphere, you have the choice.

I’ll be writing the dates for each holiday starting with the northen hemisphere and then the dates that many people celebrate them in the southern hemisphere

🌲𝐘𝐔𝐋𝐄

{December 21st//June 21st}

Yule focuses on rebirth and renewal as the sun makes its way back to the earth. It’s all about new beginnings, reflection and embracing warmth. Much like Christmas, many celebrate with a feast, gift giving, being cosy and appreciating the good.

↟Nature: cedar, frankincense, myrrh, mistletoe, pine, birch, ivy.

↟Foods//flavours: ginger, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, wintergreen, apple, dried fruit.

↟Stones: citrine, ruby, garnet, alexandrite, green tourmaline.

↟Activities: decorate your altar with incense associated with Yule, burn ash wood for prosperity, bake using Yule flavours like ginger or cinnamon, make wreathes to hang around the house, spend time with loved ones.

🕯️𝐈𝐌𝐁𝐎𝐋𝐂

{February 1st//August 1st}

Imbolc focuses on celebrating the nature that is preparing to grow and renewal, also known as “candlemas” and the “Feast of Pan”.

↟Nature: basil, blackberry, heather, celandine, iris, wisteria, vanilla, bay, yellow and white flowers.

↟Foods//flavours: pumpkin and sunflower seeds, poppy seeds, peppers, onions, spices, and herbal teas.

↟Stones: amethyst, bloodstone, garnet, ruby, onyx.

↟Activities: decorate with candles and sun decorations, go hiking, have a bonfire, bake foods with poppy seeds, and burn any leftover winter herbs.

🌼𝐎𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐀

{March 21st//September 21st}

Ostara focuses on manifesting creativity and love. As the days become longer, energy becomes stronger.

↟Nature: ash, alder, daffodil, honeysuckle, narcissus, primrose, violet, jasmine.

↟Foods//flavours: olives, maple syrup, honey, edible flowers, chocolate, pine nuts, nettle or lavender tea, local fruits and vegetables.

↟Stones: amethyst, rose quartz, moonstone.

↟Activities: gardening and planting seeds, bake breads with olives or honey for example, start new projects, talk to plants, do some painting, decorate with wildflowers.

🌰𝐁𝐄𝐋𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐄

{May 1st//November 1st}

Beltane focuses on fertility, love and abundance. Also known as “may day”, on this sabbat many celebrate with dancing, bonfires and many high energy activities, including enjoying themselves sexually with a partner or even conceiving children.

↟Nature: frankincense, lilac, ivy, marigold, woods, rose, thyme, mint, yarrow.

↟Foods//flavours: oats, leafy greens, fruits, breads, honey.

↟Stones: malachite, amber, fire opal, red jasper.

↟Activities: dance, decorate with florals and symbols of the sea, go to the beach, go hiking, have a bonfire, feast on fruits, vegetables and grains, laugh and let your hair down. And if you’re trying to conceive or simply would like to have sex, Beltane is a wonderful time to do so.

🦋𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐇𝐀

{June 21st//December 21st}

Litha focuses on growth and celebrating the longest day of the year and the sun, before the shorter days begin.

↟Nature: fern, yarrow, sage, rose, oak, mugwort, lavender, chamomile, myrrh, pine.

↟Foods//flavours: herbed bread, honey, sunflower seeds, iced herbal tea, lemon, vanilla.

↟Stones: lapis lazuli, amethyst, malachite, tiger’s eye.

↟Activities: make or buy a sun catcher, surround yourself with warm tones, watch the sunrise and sunset, make sun water, spend time outdoors, make use of herbs.

🌾𝐋𝐀𝐌𝐌𝐀𝐒//𝐋𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐍𝐀𝐒𝐀𝐃𝐇

{August 2nd//February 2nd}

Lammas, or lughnasadh focuses on celebrating the first of the three harvesting sabbats and taking time to really feel the positivity in different aspects of life.

↟Nature: cornstalks, heather, acacia flowers, hollyhock, oak leaves, wheat, myrtle, spices.

↟Food//flavours: grainy bread, corn, potatoes, nuts, blackberries, wine.

↟Stones: amber, agate, citrine, clear quartz, obsidian, tiger’s eye.

↟Activities: bake bread, make corn dolls, visit a sunflower field, spend time in nature, acknowledged what you are grateful for, journal.

🍁𝐌𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐍

{September 21st//March 21st}

Mabon focuses on honouring the change of the seasons, balance and peace.

↟Nature: sage, pine, marigold, thistle, acorns, milkweed, oak leaves, myrrh.

↟Food//flavours: cinnamon, nuts, beans, dark fruits, pies, soup, butterscotch.

↟Stones: citrine, carnelian, clear quartz, sapphire, yellow agate.

↟Activities: collect pine cones, donate food and old clothes, meditate, dry herbs, spend time with loved ones, speak to the nature around you.

🎃𝐒𝐀𝐌𝐇𝐀𝐈𝐍

{October 31st-November 1st//April 30th-May 1st}

Samhain focuses on celebrating life, and honouring those who are no longer with us.

↟Nature: heather, sage, pumpkins, straw, flax, patchouli, myrrh.

↟Foods//flavours: apples, cider, pumpkin, pies, soups, stews, potatoes, ginger.

↟Stones: amber, black obsidian, fossils, onyx, sandstone, bloodstones.

↟Activities: honour the deceased, spend time with family, make a hearty comforting meal, make or buy a scarecrow, spend time practicing divination.

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐝𝐨 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐬𝐚𝐛𝐛𝐚𝐭

↟Do a tarot reading relevant to that sabbat.

↟Spend time in the moonlight, charging your crystals and tarot cards, as well as meditating.

↟Bake something using at least one traditional food of that sabbat to share with others.

↟Cleanse your living space and any of your magickal items.

↟Write down how you’re feeling and how you’d like to feel in the weeks to come.

In Irish mythology, Brigid is the daughter of the Dagda and had two sisters also named Brigid and is part of the Tuatha de Danann, the supernatural Irish race. The three sisters made up the triple aspect of the one goddess: Brigid of the hearth, Brigid of the forge and Brigid of Inspiration. She is a goddess of spring, fertility, family, the hearth, childbirth, fire, blacksmiths, scholars, physicians, prophets, healing, poetry, occult knowledge, and justice. She was said to be born at sunrise and is often depicted with solar rays coming out of her head, making her one of the Irish solar deities alongside Lugh. It is said that wherever she walks four leaf clovers and flowers will grow. She also created the tradition of “keening” when her son Ruadan died in battle, a song-like wail used by women at funerals. In some cases she is also the goddess of sacred wells, springs and healing waters.  

History

Her name comes in different spellings like Brig, Brighid, Brigit, or Brigid but it means “Exalted one” or “Fiery arrows”. She is a goddess of Pre-christian Ireland but versions of her are found all over Europe; she has ties to Brigantia, a warrior goddess of the Brigantes tribe of Britain. She was a beloved goddess of the Celts and has survived through centuries including the Christianization of Ireland and the rest of Europe where most traces of Druidism and Paganism were forgotten. The people of Ireland loved her so much and refused to let her be demonized by the church -like the rest of the gods- that they converted her into a saint known as St. Brigid of Kildare. There are also three rivers named after her one in Ireland, Wales and England: Brigit, Braint and Brent.The river that runs through Wales is known to have healing properties.

Imbolc

Also known as Brigid’s day, Candlemas or St. Brigid’s feast, Imbolc is one of the four fire festivals in Celtic paganism and celebrates the return of spring. Since Brigid is the goddess of spring and was said to go away during the winter, people would light a candle in honor of her return. Offerings of milk, bread, and corn cakes were set out and a seat at the dinner table was left open for her presence.  Cows and sheep were seen as sacred to the goddess because they would provide milk for the town during the cold months and they would give birth around Imbolc. This festival celebrated the Maiden aspect of Brigid and young women would carry corn dollies dressed in white which represented the goddess. The women would also dress in white and attend a special feast for Imbolc where young suitors could mingle with the ladies. Imbolc is a time of fertility, cleansing and the light returning after a long winter.

Correspondences

Elements- Water & Fire

Animals- snakes, ewes, cows, bees, oxen, owls and hibernating animals. Vultures

Plants- blackberry, hawthorn, basil, mugwort, apple, heather, dandelion, snowdrop, willow, oak, shamrock, crocus, trillium, corn, lavender and sage. Personal one is cinnamon and chamomile.

Crystals- amethyst, bloodstone, carnelian, garnet, moonstone, clear quartz, and peridot.

Symbols- Brigid’s cross, candles, triquetra, faeries, four leaf clover, cauldron, chalice, corn dolly, anvil or hammer, poetry, forges, hearths, wells, rock formations.

Colours- green, red, white, gold and blue

Devotional Acts

offer her blackberries, baked goods, milk and honey or beer

dedicate a piece of your art to her like painting, knitting, singing, etc.

meditate with fire

savour the warmth of the sun or fire

incorporate the elements of water and fire into your craft

write her a poem

watch the sun rise

say hi to cows and sheep :)

hang a Brigid’s cross above your doorway for protection and blessings 

study healing magick, reiki, herbalism and faeries

wear the colours of fire or white

plant a bee garden